status updates – a celebration of postcards

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Sue

Dear Hilary We are visiting Julia and Matt for a few days. Went to Tatton Park yesterday, rather wet!! Have never been so close to deer! Going to visit Paul’s Dad tomorrow in the home, and viewing a flat for his Mum. Sue

A quick status update from Sue who is, once again, visiting relatives in the north of England.

The blurred postmark date reads 16.07.16

Thanks to our creation of a book group, I now see Sue and other ‘school gates’ friends at least once a month to discuss, among other things, the current month’s set read 🙂

Dear Hilary, We’re in Manchester, staying with Julia and Matt. Had a visit to the Whitworth Gallery. Julia & Matt are now in their own little house in Didsbury. Hope the foot is on the mend. Sue

Post marked ‘Royal Mail South Midlands Mail Centre 19-01-2016’ the status update on this card is brief and informative.

Featured on the front is Manchester’s Whitworth Gallery, which has recently undergone extension and renovation works.

The other postmark is ‘Celebrating 500 Years of Royal Mail 1516-2016’ Amazingly, it seems we have had some sort of postal service in the UK since Henry VIII was king!

I have been friends with this fourth Sue for over 20 years; we met when our children started school and we used to chat every day in the playground. We still see each other, but not quite so often these days; the children have all remained friends too 🙂 I had a minor operation on my foot in January which Sue refers to in her message. I’m still no wiser about Sue no 3, 2 or 1….

Hello Hilary, Happy Birthday. Yes it’s 27th Oct so hopefully this will get to you in time Hope to see you all at Christmas Take Care Love Sue xxx

Sent in plenty of time for my birthday, this greeting does not contain even the briefest of status updates – there is no clue as to why, or for how long Sue is in Portugal. She hopes to see us ‘all’ at Christmas, suggesting that Sue knew the whole family, rather than just me. Look closely, and above ‘Miss’ she has written, in brackets, ‘I THINK’ Is she wondering if I have got married?

The crucial final number of the post mark date is missing ‘Lisbon 27 Oct 8?’ so I am guessing at ’82, but it could be later. The stamp is from The Development of Working Tools series issued on 2nd January 1980 and in circulation until 31 August 1989.

This is the third Sue that has featured; sadly, also the third that I am unable to identify and with whom I have lost touch 😦 If your name is Sue and you think you recognise your own handwriting, please leave a comment – it would be lovely to reconnect… Here is the first Sue, and the second Sue.

Tuesday Dear Simon & Hilary, We didn’t quite make it to the Greek Isles but we’re still on the Mediterranean in an apartment outside Estartit. It is very quiet here and not too far from the beach. We’ve been to a local market and a few towns & have booked trips to Montserrat, Gerona and a flamenco show. The weather is very warm – even at night, although it is rather windy which makes swimming in the sea quite tricky. We have been eating out a lot & discovered everything said about the Spanish waiters is true! Love to you both, Sue xxx

Lots of information is being shared, although there is no clue as to why they didn’t make it to Greece; likewise no clue as to who is with her on holiday – their name is excluded from the signature so I can only assume that we did not know her travelling companion.

The picture is not referenced on the reverse but, having visited the area some years ago, I can confirm that it is typical of the rocky coast of the Costa Brava which features many, tiny hidden coves and is probably best explored from the water.

Having studied the sweep of the ‘S’ and the style of the ‘E’ I am confident that this is not the Paris Sue. Amazingly I do not remember this Sue either! As she has addressed Simon first I suspect she was a friend of his, but he cannot shed any light. So, once again, I have to admit to losing touch with Sue 😦

Tuesday Dear Hilary, Yesterday we went on a boat trip down the Seine which showed many of the famous sights. Later we went to the top of the Eiffel Tower and then onto Les Invalides. Today we went to Versailles to see the palace, we’re having a great time and the weather couldn’t be better. See you soon Sue + Chris

Post marked ‘Paris 21H 7-7-1981 Gare St Lazare’ and carrying a 1 franc 20 centime stamp, this is another 1981 card featuring the Sacré-Coeur together with its funiculars.

There is plenty being updated here – Paris and the weather combining to offer the proverbial ‘great time’.

Sue is a very popular name amongst my peers and I was at school with several – unfortunately I cannot be sure which Sue has written, and the accompanying Chris is a confusion… I have lost touch with this Sue!